Comedian Brendan Grace, golfer Padraig Harrington and his wife Caroline, actor George McMahon (aka Mondo in Fair City) and Miss World Rosanna Davison were among those who packed into the Round Room of the Mansion House this week for the Kia Motors St Patrick's Gala Ball.
The aim of the night was to raise €100,000 for the 10-year old charity, the Bubble Gum Club, said its organiser Jackie Rafter. By the end of the night, the figure had nearly been reached.
Kieran Tobin, corporate communications director of Irish Distillers, which sponsored the drinks for the evening, was there with his wife, Carol.
The Lord Mayor, Royston Brady, told the 400 guests that he was "usually very shy". "I don't like to talk or get involved with the media," he joked before adding: "It's a great privilege to be here."
Dr Dara O'Neill, a consultant GP from Drogheda who works with the charity, said it aims to look after children with life-threatening illnesses and children who are in crises. It also helps the families left behind, he said. "It is saying a lot," he said, when children who must take medication every day of their lives "come up joking and smiling".
The ball was also attended by the president of Kia Motors from Korea, Si Lee. Chris Haughton, general manager of Kia Motors in Ireland, said: "We are trying to reach out and help people who need our help."
Since the charity began, it has helped more than 5,000 children by taking them to events and on a range of holidays from skiing trips to trekking.
Others at the ball included Dubliner Ray Shah, of Big Brother fame, Jason Rock, son of Dickie Rock, auctioneer Billy O'Sullivan and his wife, Hilary, and Jamie Conlon and Myles Tuthill of Masterchefs Hospitality, which sponsored the food for the evening.